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The Defenestrator
AesophDarkfable
Warlord
5628 Posts
    
 | | 10/26/2005 6:42 PM |
| | recovered topic 10432 | |
Im out- find me on Hordelings if you want to chat. | |
| The Defenestrator
AesophDarkfable
Warlord
5628 Posts
| | 10/26/2005 6:42 PM |
| Now that was alot of post there. But looking now a year later. How far were they off? What were the big pieces.
Merric: He overshot on the ethreal filcher by a long shot, being limited to humanoids and monstrous humanoids just hinders his usefulness too much. But it had the possiblity to be game changing, just never lived up to it. The Dragon Sam and Hook Horror he picked to high here, but both are solid figures that alot of people had high hope for. I can see why on a preliminary review one would place them so high. His HEBI/FB 1/2 might be flipped a bit, but along with Ryld I think these make the Aberrations top 3 without a problem.
Now the other article (I think written by Shadowfox) is more interesting as it picked the Valenar commander as the best. Now here is a problem with mini's like these, they create one trick ponies. This reminds me of a the discussion Doubt and I had last night about the Nentyar Hunter, her ability is a red herring, you can't build the total archer band around her. If you want to use her, throw in ONE hebi, or two greycloaks and use the rest for hitters. Abilities like these need to be used to help a band and give it a trick, but shouldn't be used as the building block for a band, they just aren't reliable enough. The valenar/HEBI/crow shaman never became the Meta defining warband that the writer thought it would.
His number 2 spot goes to the Crow Shaman and I think it makes my top 10 for sure, maybe even the top 5 (with the Elf Warrior)
Those are just some quick thoughts. But I wanted to throw this out there for discussion. Aberrations a year later.
Top 10
10. Mongrelfolk (until Tiles leave play)
9. Man at Arms resculpt
8. Destrachan
7. Warforged Hero
6. Elf Warrior
5. Green Dragon
4. Crow Shaman
3. HEBI
2. Ryld
1. FB
Honorable Mention: Chuul (one day dang it, one day), Hexblade
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Im out- find me on Hordelings if you want to chat. | |
| 
Wrackspawn
ChristopherGroves
Warlord
6093 Posts
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Felagund
Sergeant
922 Posts
| | 10/26/2005 7:05 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by AesophDarkfable
Now here is a problem with mini's like these, they create one trick ponies. This reminds me of a the discussion Doubt and I had last night about the Nentyar Hunter, her ability is a red herring, you can't build the total archer band around her. If you want to use her, throw in ONE hebi, or two greycloaks and use the rest for hitters. Abilities like these need to be used to help a band and give it a trick, but shouldn't be used as the building block for a band, they just aren't reliable enough.
I totally agree with this, and I think you've explained it really well here.
As for the list, I would probably go with:
1. FB
2. Ryld
3. Mongrelfolk
4. Crow Shaman
5. HDW
6. M@A
7. Green Dragon
8. Destrachan
9. Gnoll Skeleton
10. HEBI
With honorable mention to the MFT and Mountain Orc. | |
Champion of Gnomes | |
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Vrecknidj
Warlord
10445 Posts
United States
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Gohu
Sneak
80 Posts
| | 10/26/2005 7:56 PM |
| | Another nice thread ! by any chance other thread like this for the other sets ??? | |
«I didn't came to play, i came to win» - Kamahl, Pit Fighter | |
| The Defenestrator
AesophDarkfable
Warlord
5628 Posts
| | 10/26/2005 9:35 PM |
| | I forgot Green Dragon, yeah I got to redo my top 10. | |
Im out- find me on Hordelings if you want to chat. | |
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Zaukrie
Underboss
2007 Posts
| | 10/26/2005 10:25 PM |
| | I think we've had hints that the mongrelfolk will still find use on new maps, just not the ones we've seen so far. | |
Fastest dropping DCI ranking on record!
Champion of Juiblex | |
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hardinjmm
Sergeant
573 Posts
Madison, WI
| | 10/27/2005 9:30 PM |
| How about the quote,
quote:
The reason the FB is so high up on my list is that there just may come a day where there is a support unit that can wipe away the weaknesses of this figure entirely for a cheap investment. The other factions will rue the day that happens!
Ms. Frenzied Berserker, meet Mr. Inspiring Marshal. Mr. Inspiring Marshal, meet Ms. Frenzied Berserker. [)]
Cheers,
Jon | | | |
| Thoth, Gatherer of Knowledge
MerricB
Underboss
2353 Posts
Australia
| | 10/27/2005 10:06 PM |
| My my, this is a surprise. [:)]
I think it's time to do a Top 5 for Underdark article. Just so I can demonstrate how wrong I'll be.
If I've had more than 20 Skirmish games this year, I'd be surprised. Actually, I'm not sure if I've had 10...
But the articles are fun to write!
Cheers! | |
Merric Blackman
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| The Defenestrator
AesophDarkfable
Warlord
5628 Posts
| | 10/27/2005 10:10 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by MerricB
My my, this is a surprise. [:)]
I think it's time to do a Top 5 for Underdark article. Just so I can demonstrate how wrong I'll be.
If I've had more than 20 Skirmish games this year, I'd be surprised. Actually, I'm not sure if I've had 10...
But the articles are fun to write!
Cheers!
Id love to see it, I'll post it next year to see how you did. | |
Im out- find me on Hordelings if you want to chat. | |
| Thoth, Gatherer of Knowledge
MerricB
Underboss
2353 Posts
Australia
| | 10/27/2005 10:42 PM |
| Done! Have fun!
http://www.3rdedition.org/merricb/article.asp?id=995
Cheers! | |
Merric Blackman
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Pauper
Sergeant
508 Posts
| | 10/28/2005 3:47 AM |
| For the record, and to spare those of you too lazy to click the link, here are Merric's top 5 for Underdark:
5. Mounted Drow Patrol
4. Nentyar Hunter
3. Artemis Enteri
2. Iron Golem
1. Rikka, Angelic Avenger
I've been looking over the spoiler lists, and between my own observations, plus the knowledge that Merric named the Ethereal Filcher one of the top five from Aberrations just before the pre-release, I can't see how sharing my picks could be any more embarassing, so here they are:
5. Marut
There's some danger that the Marut will turn out to be the Sword Archon of Underdark, a fig too highly priced to be truly worth his tremendous strengths, but for now I'm going with the thought that serious warbanders will find a role for him. 'Only' 75 HP can be stretched a long way between construct immunities, high AC, and spell resistance (I'd include DR, but magic damage has long been de rigeur in serious skirmish circles, whether naturally or via magic weapon.) I'd also not be surprised if a creature comes out within the next couple of sets that incorporates the repair spells in the RPG to provide the growing number of constructs in the game with a healer, which will only make the Marut better. Not to mention his epic stats rock.
4. Grimlock Barbarian
Some folks are unimpressed with a figure who has such a low attack bonus and who doesn't do appreciably more damage in his faction than the 'classic beaters'. However, keep in mind that it's not difficult to build a constructed warband that can wound a creature, even if only for minor damage, which means that once the pre-release is over, the Grimlock should usually be attacking with his Killer Instinct bonus. Keep in mind as well that the Grimlock is a hitter with an innate magic damage attack, in a faction where some hitters don't have magic damage and where magic weapon isn't always easy to come by. Then, check the cost, the cost/HP ratio, and the cost/damage ratio. Even for CE, those are some really good numbers. Lastly, consider how many figures with Conceal are entering the mix, and therefore how useful the Grimlock's Blindsight ability is likely to be.
All told, I think this is a stronger fig than people are giving it credit.
3. Artemis Enterri
I agree with Merric on this one - though his Legendary Assassin ability is likely to be something of a red herring (there are generally few Uniques in tourney play, and even if Enterri manages to kill one, it's only the equivalent of a turn's tile points in either 200 point or Epic play).
2. Medium Silver Dragon
I also can't believe people aren't making more of this fig. LSD is good, right? But its big weakness is that it has so many points tied up in one fig. What if you could run a Silver Dragon Trifecta? No, the morale effect won't stack, but you won't need it to - three paralyzing breaths will handle that for you. Not to mention that MSDs will be ideal commander assassins against multi-Chraal bands - it's possible that the MSD might make the Chraal unplayable (which partly explains why the Helmed Horror exists, and why it looks suspiciously like a Chraal stat-wise...).
1. Balor
Sometimes the obvious pick is the right pick. The Balor will do something that no other piece in DDM has yet been able to accomplish - it will make low-activation bands viable in 200 point play. With a core of Balor, Ogre Ravager, and Bugbear Champ, you begin by Enslaving your opponent's fodder, then turning it against him to gain the activation advantage (and, not uncoincidentally, eventually turn on your Bugbear Champ's CE). This will be the second great warband that comes out in the wake of Underdark, after triple MSD (which I'm really hoping will find a commander with a prominent G in its name, so I can call it 'triple MSG').
Honorable Mention: Kobold Miner
I truly believe that, for the rest of the 12-figure/tile era, the Kobold Miner will become the default fodder creature for LE, despite the existing preferences for the Goblin Skirmisher and Skeletal Warrior in current LE bands. With five to seven Kobold Miners in a warband, and with reasonably skilled tile selection and placement, it will be very difficult for an opponent to deny tile points to the Miners, which will be good in Assault and outstanding in Plunder. Not to mention that the opponent gains effectively nothing for eliminating them - or even attacking them, really. Kobold Miners also provide a cheap and entertaining way to stick a thorn in the side of anyone trying to exploit Rikka, Warrior Stripper. I'm so hoping to pull two in the pre-releases this weekend.
Once the tile era is over, the Kobold Miner will probably fade back into relative obscurity, but for the next three or four months, get used to seeing him - a lot.
That's my $0.02US.
--
Pauper | |
Champion of the War Wizard of Cormyr | |
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Kissmykiester
Sergeant
525 Posts
| | 10/28/2005 4:55 AM |
| Just based off the Spoilers here are my TOP 5 for consideration; in no order whatsoever. I humbly predict that these minis will have the largest impact in terms of competitive skirmish.
1)Helm Horror (Team this up with a Chraal and protect that Cmd)
2)Rikka (she's definataly got it going on)
3)Justicator (Tell me you won't field at least one)
4)Balor (This will make it in many Tier one bands somehow)
5)Grimlock Barb (Just wait and see)
Honorable mention
1)Death Slaad (Wow.)
2)Duergar Champion (For it's point cost it's more than worth while)
3)Xen'drik Champion (Won't use more than one though)
4)Earth Shugenja (Team him with 2 Warforge Fighters and let loose)
5)Mounted Drow Patrol (Think of the fun)
6)Artemis (You'll see him as much as you see Drizzit)
7)Githzerai Monk (Finally a monk that the Young master can run around with)
WILD Interesting times are a coming!!! | |
Vassal Tournament Constructed Group#
1 & 2-Champion
"You are, what you do, when it counts".
-------------------------
Sucessful Trade - Pan(2), Lexander (2) Trilistria (1) | |
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Avatar of the Tank
Newtoncain
Commander
2985 Posts
Land of 10,000 taxes
| | 10/28/2005 5:55 AM |
| | The Green Dragon is still my favorite mini from Ab. | |
They just don't know what's good in life...Conan, tell them what is good in life.
To rip the boosters. To count the minis spilled out before you, and to hear the indifference of the women... | |
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